On a Quest, Youth Finds Aid and Friends

By EILEEN MANDELL

Published: January 27, 2002

BOARDING a plane in Macedonia for the United States last month, Bertan Selim, who was born with cataracts, knew that in a matter of days an ophthalmologist at Johns Hopkins would evaluate his vision, and with corrective eye surgery, possibly change his life.

Two years ago, a doctor in Macedonia told Mr. Selim, 21, that his cataracts, which had forced him to contend with the glare of bright lights, could be removed in a 15-minute operation. Skeptical of the doctor's competence, he was reluctant to proceed. ''It was a difficult decision because if you have your eyes mended, you would have everything in life,'' he said.

Learning of Mr. Selim's condition, Patrick Sciarratta, executive director of the Friendship Ambassadors Foundation in White Plains, decided to help. He was impressed with Mr. Selim, who had participated in a Balkan youth reconciliation seminar program run by the foundation, which promotes peace through cultural exchange. Jason Pressberg, a Yorktown Heights high school senior who befriended Mr. Selim at the last seminar in August in Romania, was eager to be his host.

Davina Fisher of New Rochelle, the home stay coordinator for the foundation, gave $200 toward Mr. Salim's expenses during his stay. ''I just think he's a very, very special person, incredibly articulate, with a youthful idealism of how things should be that gives you hope,'' she said.

The Friendship Ambassadors Foundation grew out of a project that was started by Harry Morgan, a general editor at Reader's Digest and his wife, Cappy Devlin, in the 1940's, to encourage cultural dialogue. The couple persuaded Lila and Dewitt Wallace of Reader's Digest to finance the project. It evolved into the Friendship Ambassadors Foundation in 1973, and has since expanded into a worldwide effort to promote global cooperation and peace. Its operating budget for the past year was $1.3 million. As a young man, Kofi Annan, now the United Nations General Secretary, came to the United States as a participant in one of the organization's earliest programs. The foundation is working on creating a retreat for children of the victims of the attacks on Sept. 11.

When Mr. Selim arrived at the Wilmer Eye Institute of Johns Hopkins Hospital, he was taken to Dr. Joel Pearlman, assistant chief of service who had agreed to give his services free of charge.

''The best thing would be to have my operation,'' Mr. Selim said. ''But at the very least, I'll have this impairment properly diagnosed and know exactly what I have.''

After the examination, Dr. Pearlman advised against surgery. ''Helping him will be leaving him alone,'' he said. ''While he does have mild congenital cataracts in both eyes, his vision is very close to normal. The glare is not disabling. After surgery there is a one in 100 chance that he may subsequently develop retinal detachment. In the event that occurs, a retinal specialist must fix it that day or in a few days or he will go blind. With no one in Macedonia to repair it, the risk outweighs the benefit.''

Special eyeglasses with yellow lenses to filter the light before it reaches his eyes have been prescribed.

Bertan Selim, who remains positive and spirited, said his life experiences have strengthened him. He will remain in this country until Feb. 27. ''People have been so kind,'' he said. ''This is not win or lose. It's winning all the time, just being here.''

Photo: Bertan Selim of Macedonia, who sought help with his vision. (Suzanne DeChillo/The New York Times)